Mirror photo by Andy Stine Freshman Lainey Stinson delivers a pitch for Bellwood-Antis against Chartiers-Houston.

CRESSON — A storybook season for the Bellwood-Antis softball team came to an end on Monday in the PIAA Class 2A first round.

The Lady Blue Devils managed to get just three hits as they were blanked by Chartiers-Houston, 2-0, at Mount Aloysius College.

A young Bellwood core, led by freshman fireballer Lainey Stinson, took a program that hadn’t seen much success in a decade and turned it into a District 6 champion last week when it beat West Shamokin, 2-0.

But just like when Stinson silenced the undefeated Lady Wolves for the district title last week with 18 strikeouts, there weren’t a whole lot of answers from the Bellwood bats for Lady Bucs pitcher Taryne Drilak.

Drilak whiffed eight Lady Blue Devils, and retired 11 of her last 12 batters to take away any chance of a comeback.

“We just didn’t hit well off her,” Bellwood-Antis coach Heather Quick said. “We had three hits, and you’re not going to win much with three hits.”

Chartiers-Houston (19-4), which was the No. 2 seed in the WPIAL Class 2A playoffs, was knocked off by third-seeded Bentworth in the district semifinals. Bentworth went on to win the WPIAL championship over Neshannock.

Chartiers-Houston fell to Laurel in the District 7 third place game, 6-5. All four WPIAL teams in Class 2A softball won their first round games on Monday.

The Lady Bucs had heard about the success of Stinson throughout the season, and were able to scratch two runs across on just six hits.

“We knew it would be tough,” Chartiers-Houston coach Tricia Alderson said. “We knew she was a really good pitcher. We heard a lot about her. We did a little bit of scouting. We were hoping to hold them and play good defense and get a pitching performance, and I think we did.

“I just told their coach, ‘She’s one of the best pitchers we’ve faced this season.’ She’s right up there. She has a great future ahead of her.”

The only threat Bellwood really presented came in the bottom of the second. Stinson was hit by a pitch with one out. Izzy Sweet followed with a base hit to left field, but Peyton McCahan, who was courtesy running for Stinson, was thrown out at third base.

Bellwood only had one more baserunner reach second base the rest of the game.

“A couple more hits and this game is a different outcome,” Quick said.

Stinson worked her way out of a jam in the first two innings, but ran into trouble again in the top of the fourth.

After a leadoff walk, Drilak singled before a sacrifice bunt from Brooklyn Hess put runners at second and third with one out.

Sydney English dropped down another bunt, and the throw home was not in time for the Lady Bucs’ first run.

Chartiers-Houston threatened again with runners at second and third base and one out in the fifth.

Aubree Randolph knocked in a run with a base hit to right field, but Sweet fired a strike to catcher Hayden Taylor to get the second runner to keep it at 2-0.

After Randolph’s RBI single, Stinson sat down her final seven batters, including five of them via the strikeout.

Bellwood-Antis finished the season at 18-5. The Lady Blue Devils graduate just two seniors in Parker Martin and London McKee.

“We’re going back to work,” Quick said. “We have work to do for next season. We want to get further than we did this season.”

Chartiers-Houston will play Montrose on Thursday in the PIAA quarterfinals. Montrose, the District 2 champion, beat Northwest, 5-0, on Monday.

CHARTIERS-HOUSTON (2): K. Drilak 3b 412, Rush ss 301, Randolph lf 201, Riggle 2b 110, T. Drilak p 301, Hess cf 200, English c 301, Shumar rf 300, Fonner dp 300, Hollenbach (flex) 1b 000. Totals — 25-2-6.

BELLWOOD-ANTIS (0): Sweigert 2b 301, Martin ss 300, McKee 1b 301, Clabaugh dp 300, Gregg cf 200, Stinson p 200, Sweet rf 301, Conlon lf 200, Taylor c 200, Johnsonbaugh (flex) 3b 000. Totals — 23-0-3.

SCORE BY INNINGS

Chartiers-Houston 000 110 0–2 6 2

Bellwood-Antis 000 000 0–0 3 1

RBI–Randolph, English. WP–T. Drilak. LP–Stinson. SO–T. Drilak 8; Stinson 11. BB–Stinson 2.

Records: Chartiers-Houston (19-4); Bellwood-Antis (18-5).